Importance Of Agriculture In The Philippines

Chapter II Despite of being considered as a newly industrialized country, Philippines still recognizes the importance of the agricultural sector which employs 31% of the 39 million-person labor force, placing the sector as the second biggest employment contributor in the country. (Maclean, Hardy & Hettel, 2013). Around 5 million farmers from the workforce cultivate 9.7 million hectares to produce the top four crops which include coconut, rice, maize and sugarcane. Of all these, rice is the most vital staple food crop. With its 5.4 million hectare arable land, Philippines has been known as one of the world’s largest rice producer. However, the per hectare yields in the country are generally low in comparison with other major rice-producing

The main idea behind irrigation systems is that your lawns and plants are maintained with the minimum amount of water required. The majority of rice is grown under irrigated conditions in which the fields are flooded from planting to harvest. The main purpose of rice irrigation is that most rice varieties achieve better growth and produce higher yields when grown in flooded soils, than when grown in dry soils. Also, flooding helps to suppress the weeds. Rice is typically grown in bunded fields that are continuously flooded up to 7−10 days before harvest. On average, 1,432 liters of water is needed to produce 1 kg of rice in an irrigated lowland production system. In the Philippines, almost 70% of the total rice area is irrigated and the remaining 30% is rainfed and upland. Much of the country’s irrigated rice is found on the ricebowl of the Philippines which is the central plain of Luzon. Meanwhile, rainfed rice is grown in the Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon, in Iloilo Province, and on the coastal plains of Visayas and Ilocos in northern

In this type of irrigation, evaporation and runoff are minimized.

Sprinkler Irrigation Water is distributed by overhead high-pressure sprinklers or guns from a central location in the field or from sprinklers on moving platforms.

Center Pivot Irrigation Water is distributed by a system of sprinklers that move on wheeled towers in a circular pattern.

Lateral Move Irrigation Water is distributed through a series of pipes, each with a wheel and a set of sprinklers, which are rotated either by hand or with a purpose-built mechanism. The sprinklers move a certain distance across the field and then need to have the water hose reconnected for the next distance. This system tends to be less expensive but requires more labor than others.

Sub-irrigation Water is distributed across land by raising the water table, through a system of pumping stations, canals, gates, and ditches. This type of irrigation is most effective in areas with high water tables.

Manual Irrigation Water is distributed across land through manual labor and watering cans. This system is very labor